Fade Away
by RadiantBeam
Summary: What if Matsumoto had blocked Gin’s attack in an entirely different manner? [Alternate to Bleach 48][Mild Hitsugaya x Matsumoto][Twoshot]
1. Death

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Bleach... bleh...

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**Fade Away**

"Are you sure you want to dodge it?"

Gin's soft voice caused Hitsugaya to look up in confusion as Shinsou flashed over his head, blood staining a cut just over his eye.

"The girl… will die."

Hitsugaya's eyes widened, and he whipped around as Gin's trick was reviled; Shinsou raced to the unconscious, defenseless Hinamori; Hitsugaya knew he wouldn't make it in time to block it.

"Hina—"

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Matsumoto saw what was happening only a split second before her Captain; she'd known all along that Gin would pull something like this, and she withdrew Haineko, sprinting from her hiding place in the shadows…

_There isn't enough time!!_

Even as she ran Matsumoto knew precious seconds would be lost to lift Haineko and block the speeding blade of Shinsou; and those seconds could easily cost the young Assistant Captain that lay before her.

So, as she sprang between the flash of light and the defenseless girl, Matsumoto used the next best shield.

Her body.

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"Matsumoto…?"

The whisper was choked; some part of Hitsugaya realized dimly that he should be relieved, because his Assistant Captain had intercepted Gin's attack and saved Hinamori.

He would have been, too, if Shinsou's blade hadn't pierced through Matsumoto's flesh like it was thin paper; the wound didn't even gush blood, just a few small streams of red dripped down from where the sword had impaled her, going clean through her chest and pushing out through her back. Matsumoto gazed down at the wound with wide, clouded eyes.

"Matsumoto," Hitsugaya repeated weakly. Matsumoto slowly lifted her head at his voice, wincing a little.

And she smiled.

Gin chose this moment to withdraw Shinsou, his face blank; as the blade slid out of Matsumoto's body, her smile wavered and a choked whimper escaped her; she fell soundlessly to her knees, bring her hand up to her chest as blood spilled out onto the ground beneath her.

The sight of blood—_her _blood—broke the spell that had been cast over Hitsugaya; with a hoarse cry he lurched to his feet, forgetting Gin entirely, and ran to his Assistant Captain. "Matsumoto!"

Everything seemed to freeze, even time itself, as Hitsugaya knelt next to his Assistant Captain, gently lifting her into his arms. In the moonlight her face was pale, the blood on her chest seeming almost black; her breathing was shallow and rapid. "Why?" he whispered. "Why did you…"

Slowly, she opened her eyes, blinked. Wincing, she lifted her hand, gently touching his cheek. "Captain… why do you look so sad? I… I saved Hinamori…"

"By sacrificing yourself, you idiot." His voice shook. "What were you thinking?"

"… I wasn't?"

He almost laughed, because it sounded so much _like _her; he almost did, but didn't, because his throat felt too tight. "Idiot," he repeated weakly.

"I had to save… Hinamori… for you…"

"You didn't have to do this, though!!"

Tears had blurred Hitsugaya's vision, and one actually leaked out, gently sliding down his cheek; Matsumoto gently caught it on her finger and wiped it away. Her fingers still felt so warm, even with the life draining out of her…

"Don't cry, Captain." Her voice was soft. "Please… don't cry… I like it better… when you smile…"

More tears threatened to spill out, but Hitsugaya managed a weak smile, gently touching Matsumoto's hand with his own. "That so, huh?"

"Yeah… like that…"

Matsumoto's faded away until there was only silence; a soft sigh eased past her lips, and her eyes closed. Her hand went limp against Hitsugaya's, slowly slipping away to fall to the ground with a soft thud. For a moment, he just stared at her, his smile slowly fading.

"Matsumoto?"

Nothing.

"Matsumoto… stop playing."

He knew this wasn't a game, and she wasn't playing.

"Wake up, Matsumoto."

He knew she would never wake again.

"_MATSUMOTO!!!"_

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... The end? Maybe not... I'm not sure yet, I might make this a two-shot... What do you think?

Read and review, please!


	2. Rebirth

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. So there.

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Numbly, Hitsugaya slowly laid Matsumoto back down; although he knew it was useless, he gently pressed his hand to her throat, checking for a pulse.

Nothing.

Gin stood silently behind him, his robes blowing loosely in the wind; his face was still blank, but the hand that gripped Shinsou trembled slightly as he gazed at Matsumoto's still form.

"Ichimaru."

Hitsugaya's voice was soft as he slowly stood, his eyes focused on the bloody Matsumoto, the still unconscious Hinamori; Gin looked at him quietly.

"I told you…" The young Captain swallowed hard. "… That if you made Hinamori bleed, I'd kill you. But…" His fingers tightened around Hyourinmaru. "You made Matsumoto bleed, too. In this case…" His voice cracked. "… Killing you is the kindest thing I could ever do to you."

Gin said nothing. There was nothing he could say. Hitsugaya glanced over his shoulder at him, and his eyes were a mixture of grief and hatred.

"_Bankai."_

The world froze.

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The deaths of Rangiku Matsumoto and Gin Ichimaru were just the prologue to the series of revelations and losses that Soul Society would endure in the years to come. Even with the loss of Gin, Aizen carried out his plan; he'd only been killed three years ago, finally bringing much deserved peace to the Soul Society.

In the sixteen years that had passed, Hitsugaya had refused to take another Assistant Captain after Matsumoto's death; she would always be his Assistant Captain in his mind, and no one else could ever take her place—or live up to the expectations she'd left behind. This meant double paperwork for him, but he was used to it.

In fact, paperwork was what he was doing when Yamamoto summoned him to do a scouting mission on Earth.

"Why? A Hollow?"

"No… actually, there is a young girl—here, this is her address—that has unusual spirit energy. Here, we have a picture of her…"

Hitsugaya leaned forward as Yamamoto slid the photo across the desk; ever since the appearance of Ichigo Kurosaki sixteen years ago, the Soul Reapers had taken it upon themselves to keep an eye on any child with unusually high spirit energy; as he gazed down at the picture, his eyes widened; a choked gasp escaped him.

"Captain? Something wrong?"

"Huh? Oh, n-no." Hitsugaya slid the picture back to Yamamoto, deeply shaken. "What's her name?"

For a moment, Yamamoto studied Hitsugaya; then he spoke.

"Hana. Hana Rangiku."

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"Hana! Did you take out the trash yet?"

"I'm going, I'm going! Jeez…"

Hitsugaya crouched on a telephone pole, smiling at the irritated voice of the teenage girl. He watched her shadow by the window, his eyes narrow.

He definitely sensed it; unusually high spiritual pressure. That answered the question of whether or not she was anything like Ichigo. Hitsugaya knew he could go back to the Soul Society, but he stalled; he needed to see something.

The door opened with a soft click, and out stepped Hana; a tingle shot down Hitsugaya's spine, and despite the photo he'd seen earlier, his jaw still dropped slightly as joy and relief exploded in his chest.

Her hair was short, and red instead of blonde; but there was no mistaking those ice blue eyes, the shape of her face and lips; her voice, though it sounded much younger, still had the same lilt…

"Matsumoto," he whispered.

And he smiled.

**The End**

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Random fun fact: _Hana _is Japanese for _flower._

I realize this chapter ends on a slightly more hopeful note than the last one, but I felt like Matsumoto and Hitsugaya both deserved it. I have an idea for a companion piece to this, but that depends on what you guys think...

Read and review, please!


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